Marketing Supply Chains

Over the past 15-20 years the phrase “supply chain” has become a standard in the business world, but actual supply chains have been around for as long as businesses have been trying to get their products and services into the hands of their customers. A supply chain is defined simply as the activities that result in getting the product or service to the customer on time, at the optimal total cost. World-class supply chains do this through innovative use of technology, closed loop quality systems and data transparency.

Of course businesses and their supply chain partners typically apply supply chain best practices to products and services but what if those best practices are applied to the Marketing function? In that case, supply chain excellence is about getting the intended message to the customer or prospect. Is it really possible to marry the “left brain” orientation of product supply chains with the “right brain” creative orientation of Marketing? Funny you should ask. That is exactly what we do at KP every day…

Click here to read how we make it happen.

back to top

Sustainable Supply Chains (for All)

Once upon a time, supply chains were simpler than they are today. Just a few years ago if you could find a way to improve service at a lower cost you were doing a real bang up job. Today the concept of a sustainable supply chain is rapidly building momentum and has far wider impact than just the environmental sense and what’s good for the future of the planet. When we talk about sustainability, we are also referring to supply chain partnerships and the future of cooperative business.

Political, public and environmental pressure are beginning to dictate that supply chains take the third axis of sustainability into account when making decisions and maximizing efforts. However, traditional assumptions suggest that achieving this new goal while still getting the cost right is difficult at best. Thankfully, supply chain professionals have already worked their magic to resolve the challenging goal of low cost and high service, so it is no surprise that they are finding a way to work out this new challenge too…

Read More »

back to top

On Demand Supply Chains

Looking to streamline your print supply chain? That’s a given. You’ve heard of the term POD or Print on Demand — where printed materials are produced and delivered as needed versus being ahead of time and stored in a warehouses. Sounds easy and straight forward? It is.

There are two kinds of POD. The first is to apply the methodology to existing print materials with static content. The second is to use the latest technology to flow digital content into template-driven formats for variable, personalized messages delivered through a variety of means like print [digital presses], email, electronic PDFs, or mobile applications.

The benefits and potential total cost savings of variable printing can be significantly higher as it applies to every communication and document across an entire enterprise. However, it requires more up-front setup to execute correctly. Enter the experienced folks at KP Corporation. Hundreds of these types of programs are already in place and have yielded significant results for our clients. Benefits include…

Read More »

back to top

Web Portals: A Required Link in Today’s Supply Chain

The current economy has had a significant impact on almost all facets of business but it hasn’t all been negative. One area that is emerging strong in the supply chain world is procurement technology. According to Forrester forecasts made during the middle of the recession, “The ePurchasing market will continue to grow, even as many of the other enterprise application areas slip into negative territory. This continued success, at a time when software purchases across the board are way down, is strong evidence of the tangible value these solutions bring to the table.” This vote of confidence indicates that an investment in ePurchasing technology is a good idea for anyone looking to improve their supply chain.

So, what exactly is ePurchasing technology and which type will be most likely to have the greatest impact on the bottom line?

Click here to find out.

back to top